The argument for a 3 p.m. (dark) chocolate snack

Everyone experiences the dreaded afternoon work slump. Powering through morning and lunch is no problem. Then, 3 p.m. rolls around and your energy starts to fade, scrolling Instagram suddenly becomes more important than the project looming over your head, and, well, you really just want a treat. It turns out, giving in to your craving can actually be a smart move.

“Snacks are part of a balanced lifestyle,” Miranda Hammer, MS, RD, explains. “They keep your energy at a steady pace and keep you from overindulging later.” Hammer says the body needs an energy boost every four or five hours and the best snacks have a combo of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

But let’s be real: In the afternoon, most people want chocolate—preferably with a little sea salt. Hammer says go for it, since trying to satiate your craving with a replacement food hardly ever works in the long run. Just be mindful of the serving size. “And always go for dark chocolate,” she says.

To hit the trifecta of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, you can try a snack like barkTHINS, which pairs free-trade dark chocolate with non-GMO ingredients like almonds, coconut, or pumpkin seeds (which BTW also have vitamin B, another energy booster, to make it easier to knock out those last items on your “to do” list).